Bringing down the wrath of the basketball Gods through sure hubris... who do you want in the first round?

[guldakot]

Operating under the assumption that the boys will NOT get homecourt advantage but make it to the playoffs whether through the play-in, or the 5th/6th seed, what team do you think would be the best matchup for the Pistons to win a playoff game?

For the record, Im taking NY. They are a better team than us, but we seem to matchup reasonably well and I think we can overpower them for a game.

I'm not so greedy as to demand a series win, but winning our first playoff GAME in what, 17 years? That would put a smile on my face.

[GreekAlex]

It seems like we match up well with NY and our guys like playing on that big stage.

Thibs is known for overplaying his guys in the regular season, plus KAT is usually injured during the playoffs.

This could be the perfect storm and a coming of age party.

That would be a hell of a way to put the league on notice and let the national audience know of Cade/ the New Bad Boys arrival.

[LaSheed]

I don't like any of the matchups. Anyone but Boston I guess is the best answer.

[ComboGuardCity]

Anyone but the green teams. I think we have a shot to beat any of the others in a 7 game series, but right now I’m just itching for a playoff game win

[bstein14]

The story line against the Cavs, with our coach being their old coach would be great.

Orlando's coach is JB's best friend and they had to play against each other last postseason as well.

A series with Milwaukee would be the most physical and we know Beasley would love to go against his old team.

I feel like the league desperately will want the Knicks out of the first round and we might get the worst whistle against them.

Boston would be big simply because they are the defending champs.

Clearly our best chance against any of those teams is likely against Orlando, that said if I could pick any there is something really exciting about the idea of playing against the Bucks. Would be a hard fought physical series for sure. Giannis would likely get 80-100 FTs.

[Uncle Mxy]

I want the 10th seeded team.

[joedumars1]

Orlando banchero/cade, let’s get it nba

[breezypeezy]

Cant answer because I cant make late season, health assumptions yet.
I want the team limping the most.

My guess is it will be Milwaukee or New York on the most bandaged knees, thats who I want Beef, Auser and Holland muscle-ing and thats how we snatch victories from some tired vets.

Eta: Went ahead and voted Bucks, Lillard and Giannis cant beat father time, who btw is undefeated.

[tmorgan]

Thibs IS Father Time’s right hand man, though. He’s grinding up KAT and Brunson and his starting wings as we speak. The only guy built to handle it he has is Mikal Bridges.

[dVs33]

Id say NY because Detroit has beaten them a couple times already. Imagine cade and crew knocking out the much hyped Knicks on the biggest stage... Magic haha I can't see it happening, but that's the dream.

Sent from my Pixel 8 Pro using RealGM mobile app

[coordinator0]

Not gonna lie. Instinctually I thought this was going to be a draft thread. Feels so good to be wrong.

[bstein14]

It'll be interesting to see how far down JB cuts down the roster in a playoff series this year, assuming we make it. I could see him playing a little bit of Stew and Duren together just to have our better players out there more. I actually think it wouldn't be a bad thing to do right now just in small spurts against bigger lineups.

C: Duren (31) / Stew (17)
F: Tobias (34) / Stew (14)

Could be a 3 man big rotation with Font falling out. To help this out, I do feel like it might benefit us to have Stew shooting a few more threes out there. We'd have to have a few minutes per game of Duren and Stew out there together for this to happen.

F: Ausar (36) / Holland II (12)
G: THJ (19) / Beasley (29)
G: Cade (37) /THJ (11)

Mostly run on 7 guys with Holland II being a low minute per game backup 8th man.

Cade 37
Ausar 36
Tobias 34
Stew 31
Duren 31
THJ 30
Beasley 29
Holland II (or Font) 12

[Snakebites]

I don't care. Just want to get there this year.

[aad]

I don't care. Just want to get there this year.

This the best post here

[aad]

I’m tired of depending on lottery balls I just wanna make the playoffs we have enough young talent

[MotownMadness]

The goal this year is a playoff game win

Been too long

[zeebneeb]

Right now, it would be the Knicks. Matchups favor the Pistons, but the vast experience of the Knicks would be almost impossible to overcome.

Do the Piston players have playoff experience? Absolutely. Harris, Beasley, Hardaway, Schroder, and Reed all have plentiful playoff experience, both as bench players, and high-end starters.

Issue is, is that no one else does, and even though Cade is an all-star, and probable all-nba player, it remains to be seen if he will either shrink, or explode when it matters the most, in the playoffs.

We've all seen great regular players, allow the pressure to destroy them in the playoffs. Cades calm, cool, demeanor lends itself to that type of situation, but you never know, until you know.

I'm hoping he performs like Luka, and not like Embiid.

[vic]

I’d be okay with the Knicks, we could beat them.

But if we got up to 5 and faced the Pacers that would be a dogfight - very exciting. That series would depend on Duren & Stew defending the perimeter instead of dropping down on Myles Turner p&rs.

To me Orlando is fools gold, I doubt they will be in the picture. That last win was a coaching loss for us and their reckless injury-causing plays against us just shows how weak they are. Paulo is their only guy. In a real series Ausar and Ron locks up Franz. Their showboating will run out.

TBH with Schroeder on the team we can hang with Milwaukee too. Only teams I don’t think we can beat yet are Boston & Cleveland. We need Ivey back at All Star level for them.